Prevalence of human papillomavirus DNA in female cervical lesions from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Abstract

A hundred-sixty paraffin-embedded specimens from female cervical lesions were examined for human papillomavirus (HPV) types 6, 11, 16 and 18 infections by non-isotopic in situ hybridization. The data were compared with histologic diagnosis. Eighty-eight (55%) biopsies contained HPV DNA sequences. In low grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasias (CIN I), HPV infection was detected in 78.7% of the cases, the benign HPV 6 was the most prevalent type. HPV DNA was detected in 58% of CIN II and CIN III cases and in 41.8% of squamous cell carcinomas (SCC). Histologically normal women presented 20% of HPV infection. Oncogenic HPV was found in 10% of these cases, what may indicate a higher risk of developing CINs and cancer. Twenty-five percent of the infected tissues contained mixed infections. HPV 16 was the most common type infecting the cervix and its prevalence raised significantly with the severity of the lesions, pointing its role in cancer pathogenesis. White women presented twice the cervical lesions of mulatto and African origin women, although HPV infection rates were nearly the same for the three groups (approximately 50%). Our results showed that HPV typing by in situ hybridization is a useful tool for distinguishing between low and high risk cervical lesions. Further studies are required to elucidate risk factors associated with HPV infection and progression to malignancy in Brazilian population.

Human papillomavirus infection and cervical cancer in Brazil: a retrospective study

“…It is also interesting to notice that HPV infections have been detected in similar rates within the three racial groups studied, with no statistical significance, in spite of the presence of a greater number of white women showing SILs. Similar results have been previously described (Cavalcanti et al 1994) and have to be further investigated. Evaluation of the natural history of HPV infection indicated high rates of progression (30.4%) and persistence (48.9%).…”

“…In situ hybridization (ISH) -ISH procedure has been described in detail elsewhere (Cavalcanti et al 1994). Briefly, sections have been deparaffinized in two changes of xylol and two changes of 100% ethanol.…”

Human papillomavirus prevalence among women with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia III and invasive cervical cancer from Goiânia, Brazil

“…Table III summarizes HPV prevalence in invasive cervical cancer from cities of each Brazilian region, including results of the present study. The most prevalent HPV is type 16 (Cavalcanti et al 1994, Eluf-Neto et al 1994, Bosch et al 1995, Noronha et al 1999, Lorenzato et al 2000. HPV 18 is the second most prevalent HPV type in the North, Belém city (Noronha et al 1999), Southeast, São Paulo city (Eluf-Neto et al 1994) and South, Porto Alegre city (Bosch et al 1995) and it is the third type in the Northeast, Recife city (Lorenzato et al 2000) and Central Brazil, Goiâ-nia city.…”

“…In Brazil, a country with almost continental proportions, studies of HPV prevalence in cervical cancer from four of its five regions are available. All these published studies showed that HPV 16 is the predominant type in cities of the Northern, Northeast, Southeast and Southern regions, although there are regional variations with regard to other types (Cavalcanti et al 1994, Eluf-Neto et al 1994, Bosch et al 1995, Gonçalves et al 1999, Noronha et al 1999, Lorenzato et al 2000.…”

“…Studies of Brazilian women showed that HPV DNA prevalence in invasive cervical cancer ranged from 55.2% when using non-isotopic in-situ hybridization to 91% when using PCR-based assays (Cavalcanti et al 1994, ElufNeto et al 1994, Bosch et al 1995, Gonçalves et al 1999, Noronha et al 1999, Lorenzato et al 2000.…”